I hoped that tonight I would get a good night sleep as preparation for the battle tomorrow but as I didn't plan on spending the night next to my unconscious girlfriend. I haven't slept at all, I know realistically I can't protect Alice 24/7 but I want to and that's what I haven't slept. Alice hasn't spoken since the ambulance apart from a few mummers of 'Jamie' and 'Jamie, you still there?' Griffin is still persistent that we go to the paladin's lair soon especially as David and Millie are trapped there and we can guess what the paladins are doing to them.

'Let's stay here for one day and then we have to go' Griffin insisted.

'When did you start to care about David or Millie?' I snapped, 'I want to save them too but what is Alice wakes up and I'm gone?'

'I wouldn't allow my worst enemy be tortured by the paladins and I know you feel like you need to be there for Alice. I see you hesitate to go to the toilet but I'm telling you she's safe here' Griffin tried to reassure me.

'I thought she was safe at our school gym…' I said scornfully, 'now look at her'

'I know mate' Griffin soothed, 'I know'

'I'm sorry I keep snapping at you' I apologised, 'it's just… there's someone missing here, someone who needs to be here'

'Who's missing?' Griffin asked while handing me a cup of tea.

'Alice's dad…' I sighed, 'when Alice broke her hand he stayed with her for the whole time and bought her grapes and made her laugh. He needs to be here but I don't know how I'm going to explain to him why and how she ended up here'

'Yeah that's true' griffin said, 'we told the nurse that she got mugged so I think we should tell her dad that'

'That's not the point he hasn't seen Alice for weeks and then she turns up in a hospital because she was mugged; it just doesn't add up. He doesn't even know we're in this country; he thinks we are still in San Francisco'

'Oh' Griffin thought about it for a minute, 'how about you tell him just before we leave; that way when you leave he'll be right behind you and if Alice wakes up and sees her dad she'll know you sent him'

'Probably best, I can't leave here so I'll call him' I suggested while patting my pockets for my phone.

'Wait' Griffin stopped me.

'What?' I asked confused.

'I think that's how the paladins found Alice' Griffin tried to explain.

'How?' I asked intrigued.

'The phone call' Griffin elaborated, 'they traced the phone call'

'Ohhh yeah, how else would they know where to find her?' I said understanding, 'do you have a phone on you now?'

'I don't use phones anymore for this exact reason' Griffin said.

'Oh right' I pursed my lips, 'well I don't have my phone either so I'll have to use a hospital one'

'Don't use one here, you'll put the whole hospital in danger and Alice' griffin advised.

'Yeah' I thought, 'the only place I can think of is my school?'

'That'll be alright' Griffin said, 'I'll watch Alice'

I stood up but my feet were stuck to the ground I couldn't physically move away from Alice but I knew I had to force my body to respond. I jumped my way out of the hospital and into my school, the telephone I went to was the one near where I found Alice. That was when one factor hit me; I know Alice had her phone but then why wasn't she using it when she called the ambulance? I looked around the gym for her hone and I realised something strange… the gym was completely clean and the dead paladin was missing from the floor. Did the paladins come back and remove the evidence? They must have guessed we would get rid of Alice's phone or use a phone here. I shook the thoughts from my head and jumped to the phone outside the corridor. I know three numbers of by heart; Alice's number, Alice's home number and My Uncle's number. It's strange how the only number left to call is Alice's home number; I dialled it. It rang a few times as I wished under my breath that Alice's dad would pick up.

Just when I was about to hang up; he answered.

'Hello?' Alice's dad's voice seemed strained just like mine.

'Hello, it's Jamie-'

'Jamie… are you okay? Is Alice with you?' his voice sounded happier.

'I'm okay but it's Alice…'

'What happened to her? Tell me she is not dead!' his voice broke at the thought.

'No but she is in hospital… she was mugged and beat up pretty badly' I explained.

'Oh… ar – ar- are you in San Francisco?' he stuttered.

'No but it's complicated, you need to just come to the hospital down the road from our school and hurry please' I pleaded.

'I've got my coat I'll be right there' he said voice breaking.

'Alice is fine though' I assured him.

'Okay Jamie, I'll see you there' he said closing a door behind him.

'Yeah… and I'm really sorry we haven't been in touch or been around' I barely said through the lump in my throat, 'it's my fault entirely and I'm so sorry'

'It's okay, I'm just glad you called me now' he turned on the engine in his car.

'Have you taken the home phone with you?' I asked smiling through the tears.

'Yes, well I couldn't stay inside but I think you need someone to talk to so yes I did take the home phone outside. I'm kind of surprised it works outside' he joked.

We both laughed weakly and I brought up the topic that I had been avoiding, 'do you know what happened to my uncle?'

'No, but I was the one who found him dead' he said feebly and coughed, 'I tried to call you but your phone was off all the time and Alice's too'

This was weird because when I did have my phone it was on all the time and so was Alice's phone.

'Oh well sorry about that too' my cheeks turned chagrin.

'Can I talk to Alice?' he asked carefully.

'She is sleeping right now but hopefully when she wakes up she'll see you… she'll be so happy'

'Okay, I'm just around the corner. Tell her I'm coming' I heard him sniff and clear his throat.

'I have to go now' I mumbled and then put down the phone. I exhaled and rested my head against the wall to piece myself together. I pulled myself together and jumped back to the hospital; without realising I had jumped behind a nurse. Griffin burst out laughing at the nurse's horrified face; I was just happy that Griffin hadn't moved since. The nurse hurried out of the room without making eye contact with me; Griffin was still laughing when she left.

'Good, you didn't move' I commented.

'If I did you would have killed me' Griffin joked.

'I probably would have' I smiled at him, 'her dad is on his way'

'Alright, let's go' Griffin said picking up his backpack.

'Wait, I want to tell him that I have to go… I just keep leaving it's not right' I say holding Alice's hand again.

Griffin nodded understanding and as if it was a second later Alice's dad appeared. He looked tired and mentally drained; his shirt was half tucked in and half tucked out. His hair was messy and his eyes had bags under his eyes but that was probably due to the fatigue and crying. Despite the way he looked when he saw me he smiled but his smile soon faded when he saw Alice. He walked until he was at the side of her bed; he just looked down at her and cried. Griffin and I stood up in sync knowing that he needed some alone time.

'I think I need to have a bath; I'll just leave you two for a while' I said while squeezing his shoulder.

'Thank you, Jamie' he mumbled.

'It's alright' I croaked; my body was more excepting to leave now that I knew Alice had her dad. Now… now it's time to fight.

After the weird day we've had it felt good to be with Griffin in his den… our den.

'So what's the plan?' I said to Griffin lounging on his sofa.

'We go in there, fight our way out and pick up David and Millie on our way out' Griffin said in his normal sarcastic and jokey manner.

'Sounds like a plan but we have to get Sophie too' I winked at Griffin knowing that he didn't forget Sophie but rather removed her from the plan.

'Oh yeah, we bring her as hostage' he smiled darkly.

'No as a friend' I said cheekily, 'or maybe a girlfriend for you?'

'Oh, shut up!' Griffin snapped.

'You love her really' I joked with him.

'I did but I don't now… I can't now' he corrected.

'Why?' I asked.

'If we're together she's dead; just by being with me she's dead' Griffin retorted.

'But you won't let that happen' I argued, 'you know she loves you and you love her, stop fighting it'

'Just shut up Jamie' Griffin rolled his eyes.

'So what weapons are we taking?' I asked with a dark smile forming on my lips.

Griffin walked over to his wardrobe but when he opened it there was a bomb inside, a hand gun and a blow torch.

'You mean these' Griffin smiled as I stood in awe of his weaponry.